Retraction and Correction Policy

0. CONTEXT

To identify instances of fraud and misconduct during the publishing process, the publisher, IN TECH, implements a robust policy to govern such occurrences. In line with our general commitment to openness and in order to maintain high scientific standards, we feel obligated to be transparent about our editorial policy regarding retractions and corrections.

IN TECH’s policy on issuing retractions and corrections is developed in accordance with COPE’s publication guidelines pertaining to scientific misconduct and research ethics. The basics of this policy are laid forth as follows:

1. RETRACTIONS

A RETRACTION of a book chapter will be issued by the book editor, either following an author’s request or a 3rd party’s report of scientific misconduct. Upon receipt of a 3rd party’s report the editor shall make a reasonable effort to investigate allegations of scientific misconduct in cooperation with the author(s) and their institution(s).

A RETRACTION shall be issued when there is clear and conclusive evidence of:

data fabrication

data recycling in a purportedly original research article

severe plagiarism - determined by an editor and facilitated by plagiarism checking software

any other practice or act considered potentially harmful to the scientific community

Publishing of a RETRACTION NOTICE will adhere to the following guidelines:

all relevant bibliographic information about a retracted chapter will be given in the title.

a retraction notice will be published as a regular book chapter: it will be given it own chapter number.

Authors shall be required to approve a proposed retraction of their chapter. If authors maintain that their chapter should not be retracted, an editor may issue a STATEMENT OF CONCERN described further below.

1.2. REMOVALS

Additionally, a chapter retracted on grounds of copyright infringement (e.g. double publication) may be REMOVED by the publisher should the original copyright owner request a removal. A chapter retracted on grounds of its potential harmfulness to the scientific community (e.g. when a chapter is defamatory in nature) may also be subject to removal.

No formal removal notice will be published. Instead of it, a message stating the reason for removal will be prominently displayed in place of a retracted and subsequently removed chapter.

2. STATEMENTS OF CONCERN

A STATEMENT OF CONCERN detailing alleged misconduct will be issued by the book editor or publisher following a 3rd party’s report of scientific misconduct when:

authors refuse to approve a retraction proposed by an editor

there is inconclusive evidence of scientific misconduct

authors and their respective institutions fail or refuse to provide adequate assistance in an investigation

Publishing of a STATEMENT OF CONCERN will adhere to the RETRACTION NOTICE guidelines outlined in 1.

An article PDF for which a STATEMENT OF CONCERN is published will remain available online without being edited and watermarked.

3. CORRECTIONS

A CORRECTION will be issued by an editor when:

only a small portion of a chapter is flawed in a way that does not severely affect findings reported in it

it is determined that the scientific community would be better served by a correction than a retraction

CORRECTIONS will be issued in one of two distinct forms -- ERRATUM or CORRIGENDUM -- depending on the origin of a mistake.

3.1. ERRATUM

An ERRATUM will be issued by an editor when it is determined that a mistake in a chapter originates from the production process handled by the publisher.

A published ERRATUM will adhere to the retraction notice publishing guidelines outlined in 1.

3.2. CORRIGENDUM

A CORRIGENDUM will be issued by an editor when it is determined that a mistake in a chapter is a result of an author’s miscalculation or oversight.

A published CORRIGENDUM will adhere to the retraction notice publishing guidelines outlined in 1.

4. FINAL REMARKS

The final decision on whether a RETRACTION, a STATEMENT OF CONCERN or a CORRECTION will be issued rests with the book's editor. The publisher obliges to act upon any reports of scientific misconduct in its books and make a reasonable effort to facilitate subsequent investigation of such claims.

In case of retraction or removal of the Work, the publisher will be under no obligation to refund the APC.

The general principles set out above apply to retractions and corrections issued in all IN TECH's publications.